The Party Lyrics - Live Again! - Phil Ochs

The fire-breathing rebels arrive at the party early 

Their khaki coats are hung in the closet near the fur 

Asking handouts from the ladies, while they criticize the Lords 

Boasting of the murder of the very hands that pour 

And the victims learn to giggle, for at least they are not bored 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

The hostess is enormous, she fills the room with perfume 

She meets the guests and smothers them with greetings. 

And she asks, "How are you" and she offers them a drink 

The countess of the social grace, who never seems to blink 

And she promises to talk to you if you promise not to think 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

The beauty of the hour is blazing in the present 

She surrounds herself with those who would surrender 

Floating in her flattery, she's a trophy-prize, caressed 

Protected by a pretty face, sometimes cursed, sometimes blessed 

And she's staring down their desires 

While they're staring down her dress 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

The egos shine like light bulbs, so bright you cannot see them 

Blind each other blinder than a sandbox 

All the fury of an argument, holding back their yawns 

A challenge shakes the chandeliers, the selfish swords are drawn 

To the loser go the hangups, to the victor go the hangers on 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

They travel to the table, the host is served for supper 

And they pass each other down for salt and pepper 

And the conversation sparkles as their wits are dipped in wine 

Dinosaurs on a diet, on each other they will dine 

Then they pick their teeth and they squelch a belch saying 

"Darling, you tasted divine" 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

The wallflower is waiting, she hides behind composure, composure 

She'd love to dance and prays that no one asks her 

Then she steals a glance at lovers while her fingers tease her hair 

And she marvels at the confidence of those who hide their fears 

Then her eyes are closed as she rides away with a foreign legionnaire 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

Romeo is reeling, counting notches on his thighbone 

Searching for one hundred and eleven 

And he's charming as a child as he leads you to his web 

Seducing queens and gypsy girls in the boudoir of his head 

Then he wraps himself with a tablecloth and pretends he is a bed 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano 

Oh, the party must be over, even the losers are leaving 

But just one doubt is nagging at my caustic mind 

So I snuck up close behind me and I gave myself a kiss 

And I led myself to the mirror to expose what I had missed 

There I saw a laughing maniac who was writing songs like this 

And my shoulders had to shrug 

As I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano